Organic and mineral soil horizons from forests in 30 mountains across China were analysed for polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB). Soil total organic carbon (TOC) content was a key determinant of PCB distribution explaining over 90% of the differences between organic and mineral soils, and between 30% and 60% of the variance along altitudinal and regional transects. The residual variance (after normalization by TOC) was small. Tri- to tetra-CB levels were higher in the South in relation to high source density and precipitation. Heavier congeners were instead more abundant at mid/high-latitudes where the advection pattern was mainly from long range transport. This resulted in a latitudinal fractionation opposite to theoretical expectations. The study showed that exposure to sources with different characteristics, and possibly accumulation/degradation trends of different congeners in soils being out-of-phase at different latitudes, can lead to an unsteady large scale distribution scenario conflicting with the thermodynamic equilibrium perception.

• Keywords
• Cold trapping, Forest, Fractionation, Latitude, Mountain, PCB, POP, Soil,
• MeSH
• Chemical Fractionation MeSH
• Soil Pollutants analysis   MeSH
• Environmental Monitoring * MeSH
• Polychlorinated Biphenyls analysis   MeSH
• Soil chemistry   MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Geographicals
• China MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Soil Pollutants MeSH
• Polychlorinated Biphenyls MeSH
• Soil MeSH

PURPOSE: Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) represent a large group of recalcitrant environmental pollutants, differing in the number of chlorine atoms bound to biphenyl ring. Due to their excellent technological properties, PCBs were used as heat-transfer media, for filling transformers and condensers, as paint additives, etc. With increasing knowledge of their toxicity, transfer to food chains and accumulation in living organisms, their production ended in most countries in the 1970s and in 1984 in the former Czechoslovakia. But even a quarter of century after the PCB production ceased, from contaminated areas, the volatile PCBs evaporate and contaminate much larger areas even at very distant parts of the world. For this reason, PCBs still represent a global problem. The main method of PCB removal from contaminated environment is at present the expensive incineration at high temperatures. With the aim of finding effective alternative approaches, we are studying biological methods for PCB removal from the environment. In this paper, we summarise 10 years of studies using long-term PCB-contaminated soil from a dumpsite in South Bohemia, targeted for the use of plants (phytoremediation) and their cooperation with microorganisms in the root zone (rhizoremediation). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Long-term contaminated soil from Lhenice dumpsite, more than hundred kilograms of homogenised material, was used in microcosms (pots and buckets), and field plots were established at the site. Tested plants include among others tobacco, black nightshade, horseradish, alfalfa and willow. Aseptic plant cell and tissue cultures were from the collection of the IOCB. Microorganisms were our own isolates. The paper summarises experiments done between 1998 and 2008 with real contaminated soil, both vegetated and non-vegetated. PCB analysis was performed by GC-ECD, metabolic products identified mostly using 2D-GC/MS-MS and synthetic standards, whereas molecular methods included quantitative PCR and sequencing. RESULTS: The soil was used both for preparation of field plots at the site and for greenhouse and laboratory tests in microcosms. The results include analyses of changes in PCB content in untreated and vegetated soil, PCB uptake and distribution in different parts of various plant species, analysis of products formed, identification and characterisation of cultivable and non-cultivable bacteria both in rhizosphere and in bulk soil. Different treatments and amendments were also tested. Experiments in real contaminated soil were accompanied by in vitro experiments using aseptic cultures of plant biomass, genetically modified (GM) plants and bacteria, to allow identification of players responsible for PCB metabolisation in soil. The time-span of the experiments allows extrapolating some of the results and drawing conclusions concerning the effectivity of exploitation of various plant species and treatments to remove PCBs from soils. DISCUSSION: The approach using plants proved to represent a viable alternative to costly incineration of PCB-contaminated soils. The recent studies using molecular methods show that plants are responsible for the composition of consortia of microorganisms present in their root zone, including those with ability to degrade the chlorinated aromatic compounds. CONCLUSIONS: In addition to uptake, accumulation and partial metabolisation of PCBs by plants, compounds produced by plants allow survival of microorganisms even in poor soils, serve as carbon and energy source, and can even induce the degradation pathways of different xenobiotics. Thus, the choice of proper plant species is crucial for effective cleaning of different polluted sites. Our study shows how the efficiency of PCB removal is dependent on the plant used. RECOMMENDATIONS AND PERSPECTIVES: The use of plants in biological remediation of different organic xenobiotics proved to be a useful approach. Further improvement can be expected by application of specifically tailored GM plants and use of selective conditions ensuring high remediation potential based on optimal composition of the soil microbial consortia designed for the needs of given site.

• MeSH
• Biodegradation, Environmental * MeSH
• Time Factors MeSH
• Plant Roots MeSH
• Soil Pollutants metabolism   MeSH
• Polychlorinated Biphenyls chemistry   metabolism   MeSH
• Soil analysis   MeSH
• Soil Microbiology MeSH
• Plants metabolism   MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Soil Pollutants MeSH
• Polychlorinated Biphenyls MeSH
• Soil MeSH

Several aerobic co-cultures capable of co-metabolising polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were acquired by cultivation on biphenyls (BP). The source of micro-organisms was PCB-contaminated soil taken from various sites in the Czech Republic. Several bacterial strains (Gram-negative rods) were isolated, and their capacity to degrade Delor 103 (a PCB mixture containing di- to hexachlorobiphenyls) was analysed. This study was focused on co-culture 319 and isolate 2. The growth parameters of both those cultures were studied on BP; for isolate number 2 the specific growth rate mu = 0.122 (h-1) was calculated. The degradation of the individual congeners was estimated and resulted in more than 50% of the degradation of nearly all congeners during a 2-week experiment. Toxicity of Delor 103 on the vitality of the cells was followed by using viable plate count. The viability of the tested strain was preserved in the 100 times higher Delor 103 concentration compared with conditions in degradation experiments.

• MeSH
• Aerobiosis MeSH
• Bacteria growth & development   isolation & purification   metabolism   MeSH
• Biodegradation, Environmental MeSH
• Kinetics MeSH
• Soil Pollutants metabolism   MeSH
• Polychlorinated Biphenyls metabolism   MeSH
• Pseudomonas growth & development   isolation & purification   metabolism   MeSH
• Soil Microbiology MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Comparative Study MeSH
• Names of Substances
• 2,4',5-trichlorobiphenyl MeSH Browser
• Soil Pollutants MeSH
• Polychlorinated Biphenyls MeSH

This study was aimed at complex characterization of three soil samples (bulk soil, topsoil and rhizosphere soil) from a site historically contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB). The bulk soil was the most highly contaminated, with a PCB concentration of 705.95 mg kg(-1), while the rhizosphere soil was the least contaminated (169.36 mg kg(-1)). PCB degradation intermediates, namely chlorobenzoic acids (CBAs), were detected in all the soil samples, suggesting the occurrence of microbial transformation processes over time. The higher content of organic carbon in the topsoil and rhizosphere soil than in the bulk soil could be linked to the reduced bioaccessibility (bioavailability) of these chlorinated pollutants. However, different proportions of the PCB congener contents and different bioaccessibility of the PCB homologues indicate microbial biotransformation of the compounds. The higher content of organic carbon probably also promoted the growth of microorganisms, as revealed by phospholipid fatty acid (PFLA) quantification. Tag-encoded pyrosequencing analysis showed that the bacterial community structure was significantly similar among the three soils and was predominated by Proteobacteria (44-48%) in all cases. Moreover, analysis at lower taxonomic levels pointed to the presence of genera (Sphingomonas, Bulkholderia, Arthrobacter, Bacillus) including members with reported PCB removal abilities. The fungal community was mostly represented by Basidiomycota and Ascomycota, which accounted for >80% of all the sequences detected in the three soils. Fungal taxa with biodegradation potential (Paxillus, Cryptococcus, Phoma, Mortierella) were also found. These results highlight the potential of the indigenous consortia present at the site as a starting point for PCB bioremediation processes.

• Keywords
• Bioaccessibility, Bioavailability, Bioremediation, Chlorobenzoic acids, Microbial communities, Polychlorinated biphenyls,
• MeSH
• Arthrobacter MeSH
• Biodegradation, Environmental MeSH
• Soil Pollutants analysis   MeSH
• Environmental Monitoring * MeSH
• Polychlorinated Biphenyls analysis   MeSH
• Soil chemistry   MeSH
• Soil Microbiology * MeSH
• Rhizosphere MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Soil Pollutants MeSH
• Polychlorinated Biphenyls MeSH
• Soil MeSH

• MeSH
• Child MeSH
• Food Contamination MeSH
• Environmental Pollutants adverse effects   analysis   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Milk, Human chemistry   MeSH
• Polychlorinated Biphenyls adverse effects   analysis   MeSH
• Check Tag
• Child MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Environmental Pollutants MeSH
• Polychlorinated Biphenyls MeSH

The objective of this work was to test the PCB-degrading abilities of two white-rot fungi, namely Pleurotus ostreatus and Irpex lacteus, in real contaminated soils with different chemical properties and autochthonous microflora. In addition to the efficiency in PCB removal, attention was given to other important parameters, such as changes in the toxicity and formation of PCB transformation products. Moreover, structural shifts and dynamics of both bacterial and fungal communities were monitored using next-generation sequencing and phospholipid fatty acid analysis. The best results were obtained with P. ostreatus, which resulted in PCB removals of 18.5, 41.3 and 50.5% from the bulk, top (surface) and rhizosphere, respectively, of dumpsite soils after 12 weeks of treatment. Numerous transformation products were detected (hydoxylated and methoxylated PCBs, chlorobenzoates and chlorobenzyl alcohols), which indicates that both fungi were able to oxidize and decompose the aromatic moiety of PCBs in the soils. Microbial community analysis revealed that P. ostreatus efficiently colonized the soil samples and suppressed other fungal genera. However, the same fungus substantially stimulated bacterial taxa that encompass putative PCB degraders. The results of this study finally demonstrated the feasibility of using this fungus for possible scaled-up bioremediation applications.

• Keywords
• Ligninolytic fungi, Metabolites, Microbial community, Pleurotus ostreatus, Polychlorinated biphenyls,
• MeSH
• Biodegradation, Environmental MeSH
• Soil Pollutants analysis   metabolism   MeSH
• Pleurotus growth & development   metabolism   MeSH
• Polychlorinated Biphenyls analysis   metabolism   MeSH
• Soil chemistry   MeSH
• Soil Microbiology MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Geographicals
• Czech Republic MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Soil Pollutants MeSH
• Polychlorinated Biphenyls MeSH
• Soil MeSH

OBJECTIVE: To find out whether the serum PCB level depends on genetic polymorphism in the area of GSTs genes. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In the group of 147 men (112 with an average age of 59.1 ± 10.1 and serum PCB level > 1,000 ng/ g lipid - PCB1, and 35 with an average age of 56.2 ± 12.9 and serum PCB level < 700 ng/ g lipid - PCB2), the PCR RLFP analysis of DNA was used to determine the genetic polymorphism in the area of GSTs genes. RESULTS: As regards PCB, an association was found between serum PCB concentrations and the null genotype of GSTT1 gene. Men above the median PCB levels displayed, with significantly greater frequency, the null genotype GSTT1 compared to men below the median PCB levels, both in the PCB1 set and in the PCB2 set. In the PCB1 set, the presence of the null genotype GSTT1 increased the risk of high PCB levels 11- fold, in the PCB2 set 4- fold (p < 0.001). In the PCB2 set, an association was also discovered between GSTP1 Val/ Val genotype and higher PCB levels. The risk of high PCB levels in the individuals with the Val/ Val genotype was 5- fold higher than in the carriers of the Ile allele (p < 0.001). In neither set was the GSTM1 genotype associated with serum PCB concentrations. CONCLUSION: The association between high PCB levels and the GSTT1 null and GSTP1 Val/ Val suggests that harmful effects depend not only on the intake amounts of PCB but also on the ability of the organism to detoxify these substances. Individuals living in the same environment are therefore at different risks of developing a disease when exposed to PCB. Polymorphism in the area of GSTTl gene (GSTT1 null) could be a potential genetic risk marker.

• MeSH
• Adult MeSH
• Genetic Markers MeSH
• Glutathione S-Transferase pi genetics   MeSH
• Glutathione Transferase genetics   MeSH
• Environmental Pollutants blood   MeSH
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Polychlorinated Biphenyls blood   MeSH
• Polymorphism, Genetic * MeSH
• Aged, 80 and over MeSH
• Aged MeSH
• Check Tag
• Adult MeSH
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Male MeSH
• Aged, 80 and over MeSH
• Aged MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Publication type
• English Abstract MeSH
• Journal Article MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Genetic Markers MeSH
• Glutathione S-Transferase pi MeSH
• glutathione S-transferase T1 MeSH Browser
• Glutathione Transferase MeSH
• Environmental Pollutants MeSH
• Polychlorinated Biphenyls MeSH

In 2006, levels of seven indicator polychlorinated biphenyl congeners (PCB28, 52, 101, 118, 138, 153, and 180) in blood serum of 202 blood donors residing for more than 2 years in five urban areas included in the Czech Human Biomonitoring project were measured by GC/MS/MS method. PCB congeners 138, 153 and 180 accounted for about 97% of the sum of the indicator congeners analyzed. Overall, the median and 95th percentile of the most abundant congener PCB 153 were 438 ng/g lipid and 1079 ng/g lipid, respectively. The highest median levels were found in Uherské Hradiste (669 ng/g lipid) and Ostrava (672 ng/g lipid in males compared to 341 ng/g lipid in females). Serum PCB concentrations were significantly associated with age, gender, place of residence and smoking habit, but not with body mass index and education. The results suggest the importance of PCB body burden in the Czech general population and the existence of hot spots.

• MeSH
• Adult MeSH
• Body Mass Index MeSH
• Environmental Pollutants blood   MeSH
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Adolescent MeSH
• Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry MeSH
• Polychlorinated Biphenyls blood   MeSH
• Aged MeSH
• Sex Factors MeSH
• Age Factors MeSH
• Environmental Exposure analysis   MeSH
• Geography MeSH
• Check Tag
• Adult MeSH
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Adolescent MeSH
• Male MeSH
• Aged MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Geographicals
• Czech Republic MeSH
• Names of Substances
• 2,2',3',4,4',5-hexachlorobiphenyl MeSH Browser
• 2,3',4,4',5-pentachlorobiphenyl MeSH Browser
• 2,4,4'-trichlorobiphenyl MeSH Browser
• 2,4,5,2',4',5'-hexachlorobiphenyl MeSH Browser
• 2,4,5,2',5'-pentachlorobiphenyl MeSH Browser
• 2,5,2',5'-tetrachlorobiphenyl MeSH Browser
• Environmental Pollutants MeSH
• PCB 180 MeSH Browser
• Polychlorinated Biphenyls MeSH

Composition of native vegetation on a polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB)-contaminated soil dumpsite at Lhenice, South Bohemia (Czech Republic), was determined and species variability in the accumulation of PCBs in plant biomass was investigated. Soil stripping contaminated by PCBs originated at a factory producing electrical transformers that mostly used the commercial PCB mixture Delor 103 and 106. The PCB content of soil in the most contaminated part of the dumpsite reached 153 mg kg(-1) dry soil. Low diversity of plant species was found on the dumpsite. Results showed three grass species, Festuca arundinacea Schreb., Phalaroides arundinacea (L.) Rauschert., and Calamagrostis epigeios (L.) Roth., to be the major components of the vegetation and confirmed their high tolerance toward PCB contamination. The highest content of PCB in plant biomass--813.2 microg kg(-1) dry biomass--was determined in Festuca aboveground biomass. For phytoextraction purposes especially, Festuca can be recommended due to its high biomass yield, but its bioconcentration factor was very low (0.006). Tripleurospermum maritimum (L.) Sch. Bip. and Cirsium arvense (L.) Scop. grew mainly at the margins of the most contaminated part of the dumpsite. The PCB content determined in their aboveground biomass-278.7 and 289.5 microg kg(-1) dry biomass, respectively--was nonsignificantly lower compared to grass species Phalaroides and Calamagrostis. Salix (Salix viminalis L. and Salix caprea L.) was monitored among plant species composition at this site as a representative of woody species.

• MeSH
• Biodegradation, Environmental MeSH
• Soil Pollutants analysis   MeSH
• Environmental Monitoring methods   MeSH
• Polychlorinated Biphenyls analysis   metabolism   MeSH
• Plant Extracts analysis   MeSH
• Plants chemistry   metabolism   MeSH
• Plant Development MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Geographicals
• Czech Republic MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Soil Pollutants MeSH
• Polychlorinated Biphenyls MeSH
• Plant Extracts MeSH

Biodegradation of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in soil is considered to be very complex due to various physico-chemical factors involved. Isotope labelling technique is the best to trace fate of the xenobiotic in the environment. In this work, the uniformly 14C-labelled PCB congener 11 (3,3'-chlorobiphenyl) was chosen as a low chlorinated coplanar biphenyl which was assumed to be readily degraded by microorganisms. Pleurotus ostreatus and two Pseudomonas species, representing white rot fungi and soil bacteria were used separately or in a consortium. The amount of liberated 14CO2 and radio-HPLC, HPLC, GC-MS, and radio-TLC analyses of extracts at the end of a two-month experiment showed that the mineralization of PCB 11 was < 0.4%, volatilization < 3.1%, and 30% of radioactivity was irreversibly bound to the soil matrix. The respective contents of all intermediate metabolites were 4.7 to 10.5 and 2.5 to 2.7% where Pseudomonas alcaligenes alone or in combination with P. putida was applied. 3-Chlorobenzoic acid was the major biodegradation product.

• MeSH
• Biodegradation, Environmental MeSH
• Biotransformation MeSH
• Kinetics MeSH
• Soil Pollutants metabolism   pharmacokinetics   MeSH
• Pleurotus metabolism   MeSH
• Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry MeSH
• Polychlorinated Biphenyls metabolism   pharmacokinetics   MeSH
• Pseudomonas putida metabolism   MeSH
• Pseudomonas metabolism   MeSH
• Carbon Radioisotopes MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S. MeSH
• Names of Substances
• 3,3'-dichlorobiphenyl MeSH Browser
• Soil Pollutants MeSH
• Polychlorinated Biphenyls MeSH
• Carbon Radioisotopes MeSH